Top 12+ WordPress Themes for Web & Graphic Designers

March 12, 2017 By ShivarWeb Staff

It’s only natural as a web or graphic or even interior designer to think about your own website. Whether you are an individual contractor or a large company, it’s actually *pretty* important to have a professional, informative, & stunning website yourself.

Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature over-kill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of business imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for web & graphic designers that have stunning design and amazing functionality like beautiful galleries and portfolios to display your services and products, pricing tables, bio pages, and more.

And yes – I know what you’re thinking – “I’m a designer…shouldn’t I have a custom design that I built myself?” – yes and no. Here’s the thing. You get paid when you design for other people. And just because you are a designer does not mean you are a front-end developer either. If you can get a custom design, then that is preferable. Go for it.

But if you need something that looks good, is quick and will get leads to get in touch with you…then an off the shelf theme with flexibility will allow you to focus on the work that you get paid to do.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a web or graphic designer that wants an active online presence.

Here are the 12+ Best WordPress Themes for Web & Graphic Designers (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet.

Disclosure – this website receives customer referral fees from companies and products mentioned on this website. All data & opinions are based on ShivarWeb staff’s independent research and professional judgement.

Creativo is an amazing choice for so many reasons – and one of those is the versatile, beautiful design. It comes with several out-of-the-box demos with different looks, so you can be up and running at lightning speed. All of the design elements can be customized – from typography to layout to color scheme and more. The drag and drop page builder makes things even easier, and it will look amazing on any device because the design is responsive. Check out Creativo here.

DeStudio has a smooth & unique design that is perfect for any web or graphic design business. The dynamic sidebar and feature area allow you to showcase your services and specialties with creativity. And the design is responsive so it will look great on smartphones and large monitors alike. You can also display your portfolio with the beautiful gallery options (video & image ready). See more on DeStudio here.

Dikka is multiconcept, responsive theme that has amazing functionality. The design is clean and bright – perfect for displaying your services and portfolio. It comes with a few cool demos and all the design elements can be customized to your brand preference. You’ll also get a beautiful slider and custom menu options. If you need eCommerce optimization, Dikka has your back. Be sure to check Dikka out here.

The Gem is an amazing option that was designed specifically for creatives. It’s a powerful design with a ton of stunning templates – and you can customize each one of those to your preference. The drag and drop page editor makes the design a breeze, and you definitely won’t be losing out on SEO optimization. It’s a responsive design too, so it’ll look great on any device. See more on The Gem here.

Goodnex is another theme that was created just for design agencies – so you’ll get practically everything you could need with this theme. It’s a crisp and unique design that’s easy to customize (e.g. typography, layout, colors, etc). The Advanced Theme Options panel also gives you the freedom to do other amazing adjustments. The responsive design guarantees that your site will look great anywhere. Check out Goodnex here – you’ll find a ton of other cool features.

If you’re looking for the best way to showcase your portfolio of design work, Grand Portfolio was made with you in mind. It has some seriously gorgeous options and the overall design is professional and beautiful. The layout options and live page-builder make creating an amazing website so easy – and you can build the design that you want. Among other great features, this one has eCommerce capability. See more on Grand Portfolio here.

Classy and elegant perfectly describe Legendary’s design. It has an extensive theme options panel that will give you amazing access to your website – and you can customize the design elements to give your site the perfect look. It has uniquely styled portfolios and a built-in pricing table too. Plus, your site will look great anywhere since it’s a responsive design. See more on Legendary here.

Logo has a minimalist feel to its design, but you certainly won’t be lacking in features or capabilities with this theme. Not only is it responsive, but it’s also packed with features like slider options, social media integration, and maps integration. Plus, you can customize the design elements to create the exact look you’re going for. Check out Logo here.

Nimva is one of the best multipurpose WordPress themes out there – it’s packed with functionality and has a timeless design. The live page-builder makes customizing your website so easy – from the layout all the way down to the typography. It also has some awesome menu and slider options. Along with several other cool features, it’s responsive and optimized for eCommerce. See more on Nimva here.

Sketchfield is bold and beautiful – perfect for making a great first impression on your clients. It’s so easy to use and customize, and the design options are practically endless. It’s responsive, so it’ll look great on any device. Plus, you can create some amazing landing pages with post types – and add any little extras with widgets or plugins. Check out Sketchfield here.

Sirius Lite is a clean and simple business theme with great functionality. It has some great page options, and you can customize the design elements to your preference. It’s so easy to integrate social media, plus it’s a responsive design so it’ll look great anywhere. It’s really a great choice for a web or graphic design agency – plus it’s a free download! See more on Sirius Lite here.

WeBlog is a fun yet professional theme that can do amazing things. The masonry layout is very visually appealing and you can customize all the design elements. It’s responsive, too, so it’ll look great anywhere. You can create great landing pages and integration social media – plus you can add any extra functionality with plugins. Check out WeBlog – it’s a free download!

Web Design is a strikingly beautiful theme that will serve as a powerful foundation for your website. The design elements are easy to customize to your brand and preference – and it’ll look great on any device. The front page slider is an awesome way to display your latest work or awards. And the custom posts allow you to create fabulous landing pages for testimonials, team bios, company background…really anything! See more on Web Design here.

Web Ding is an innovative, responsive design that will really impress your clients. The variety of visual elements add pops of interest throughout the design – and all the design elements are customizable. The powerful admin area will give you control over every aspect of this theme. It has a great feature area, built-in contact forms, and sleek sliders. It’s a solid choice for any web or graphic design agency. Check out Web Ding here.

A theme framework is a foundation for themes with consistent, rich functionality that allows simple design changes across a range of themes. Genesis is one of the oldest (and most cutting edge) theme frameworks in the world of WordPress. Their framework has an immense amount of well-documented features and “hooks” where you can implement infinite functionality for your website.

Like Genesis by StudioPress, Elegant Themes is a large, established themes creator with their own theme framework. They also have a deep theme “club” where you get unlimited access to themes to download, try and swap out at will. They are a great choice for any web design business or graphic design agency that wants lots of choices. Check out Elegant Themes here.

Conclusion

Joining the WordPress team is one of the best options out there for creating an online presence that will really impress clients – plus you won’t be left without great options for other things like SEO. And the best part? It’s all completely controlled by you! Always be sure to use themes with high coding standards, and remember that a good theme is flexible and works well with other plugins.

About ShivarWeb Staff

ShivarWeb Staff is a team of marketing, design & development experts led by Nate Shivar. Content edited & maintained by Nate Shivar.

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The Author / Editor!

I’m Nate Shivar – a marketing educator, consultant, and formerly Senior SEO Specialist at a marketing agency in Atlanta, GA. I try to help people who run their own websites…run them a little better. I like to geek out on Marketing, SEO, Analytics, and Better Websites.